


Family Treasures

by GachMoBrea



Series: Family Built Intricacies [5]
Category: White Collar
Genre: (Continuation?), (Who needs those things anyway?), AU, Alternate Universe, Alternating POVs?, Family Feels!, Father!Peter, Gen, I don't know, Keller is a pretty cool guy, Kidnapping, Neal!whump, No Sachmo?!?!, Not so good Title..., OOC, PETER is Neal & Matthew's DAD, Poor Dog! I forgot about him till just now!!!, Poor Neal, Rescue, Son!Keller, Son!Neal, StepMom!Elizabeth, Twins, Vague Details about unimportant things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 11:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8101603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GachMoBrea/pseuds/GachMoBrea
Summary: SPOILER SUMMARY!!! (Too tired to make a better summary....Zzzzz.....)Keeping secrets can be a pain... In the face and stomach and anywhere else when the people who want what you have try to beat it's location out of you...Dedicated to: BlueDiamondStar  &  Lov_pb





	

"Proklinat' svoyu zhizn' k bystromu kontsu!" the Russian spits at Agent Burke as he's being dragged away for processing.  
"Maybe next time you'll reconsider smuggling illegal animals into this country," the agent shakes his head, walking away with Neal following at his side.  
"You've being going after the Russians pretty hard lately," the ex-con remarks as they get into the vehicle. "Any particular reasons for that you want to share?"  
"I'm a FBI agent," Peter shrugs as both men buckle. "I'm just doing my job."  
"No you're not, Peter," the younger man frowns. "You're White Collar crimes. That was a smuggling case that dealt with the small and furry. Not to mention that over the passed few months, you've also taken down a weapons manufacturing ring and two murder cases completely separate from each other. In fact, the only link any of those cases had to each other is the fact there were Russians involved."  
"White-collar crime refers to financially motivated nonviolent crimes-" the agent starts.  
"-committed by business and government professionals." the ex-con finishes. "And there was plenty of violence involved."  
"There was only one UZI and the man didn't even get a single shot off."  
"That's not all, Peter," Neal's frustration is growing with every diverting answer. "I've checked with Elizabeth. The days you left the office early to spend time with her? She wasn't even home."  
"Neal..." Peter sighs tiredly, like any father torn down by a pestering child would.  
"No, Dad," his son won't allow the man to dodge the issue any more. "You've been after Russians, ignoring concerns from Jones and Diana, and lying to me about being with Elizabeth. Now, I'm nearly certain I know why but I want to hear it from you."  
With a nod, the agent pulls off from the main stream of traffic and into a parking garage that he takes to the very top where there are only a half dozen cars parked.

Peter puts the vehicle in park and removes the keys. He turns in his seat to his son and evenly explains, "I've been trying to get Matthew to turn himself in."  
'Just as I suspected.' Neal's anger prickles under his skin but he forces himself to remain calm. "So you've been taking out the only leverage we have against the man because you think that if the threat is gone, he'll start coming home for supper?"  
"After our last family meal?" Peter scoffs. "Not likely."  
"Then I don't understand the motive, Peter." Neal takes a breath to calm himself again. "I know you want Keller to change his ways and be able to bond with him. You're a great man, Dad, you deserve to be happy, but some things can't be done. You have to know that."  
"I'm not going to give up on him," the father states almost brokenly if it were not for the conviction he put into his tone. "I'm his father. It's my responsibility to do what I can for him. Nothing I've done is even remotely illegal. In fact, I'm just taking extra steps to put more bad guys behind bars. There's nothing wrong in that."  
"But you're going to burn yourself out," Neal shakes his head in amazement. "You can't do your job and still take on extra cases, while also being a great husband and keep me in line."  
"I don't have to keep you in line as much as I used to," Peter smiles proudly at the younger man. "I trust you."  
It's as though a dagger has rammed itself into his heart as Neal forces himself to look appreciative to the compliment. For a moment, he forgets why he was keeping an enormous treasure from his father in the first place.   
'To protect him. Right.'  
"I'm sorry, Neal."  
The conman refocuses his attention on the agent who is now looking out the front window at nothing in particular. "I know that learning Matthew Keller is your brother hasn't really filled you with joy, but I just wish you could understand why I'm doing what I'm doing."  
"Have you been meeting with him?" Neal needs to know, even though he already does. His father's guilty nod is more than he needs. "He told me as much."  
"You've spoken with Matthew?" and in a second the younger man has his dad's attention again. "When? How? Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Like you're one to be demanding answers after being caught having secret rendezvous," Neal scoffs, but the bite is more inwardly directed. "When I was in the hospital and miserable, he came to make everything worse."  
"He came to check on you?" Peter asks, surprised.   
"Something like that," his son shrugs. 'He actually came to threaten me. No. Warn me.'  
"I feel like I'm not getting the whole story."  
"I don't feel like that's really important at the moment."  
"What do you want me to do, Neal?" Peter asks, not biting or demanding. It's an open question asking for an honest answer. "I can't abandon him like I did when you were both babies. I can't turn my back on him even if he made it absolutely clear that he wanted nothing to do with me. I wouldn't do it to you and I can't to it to him."  
'You are far too great a man.' Neal sighs. "I couldn't ask you to do any of that. I know what it'd do to you."  
"So what then?"  
"Maybe..." the conman was very rarely at a loss for words but he found himself in that exact position. "Maybe...just...take a step back? Stop trying to do everything all at once? Actually go home and be with your wife when you say that's what you're going to do? Just...Stop taking on the extra cases. For a short time at least."  
"I can do that," Peter agrees. "I've been feeling a little fatigued lately anyway."  
"Told you, both ends of a candle."  
"Yeah, yeah, smarty pants," the agents starts the car again. "Let's keep this between us though, agreed?"  
"What would I do if the only man who will go to bat for me was caught conspiring with the enemy?"  
"Thanks, Neal."

\---

Peter drops Neal off at his apartment. As the car drives off, the con's phone goes off with a new text. He pauses at the steet level entrance to pull it out and read the message.  
'Go to ground. Bogies on our tail.' [Mozzie]   
Neal frowns at the screen, then there's a sharp pain in his neck and the world blackens.

 

When Neal next wakes, his mind is foggy and his breathing feels restricted. When he manages to open his eyes fully, the world is a blurry mass of muffled noises and his head keeps lolling to the side.  
"...too....much..."  
"...supposed...weight?"  
The strange voices are clearly fighting and Neal hopes it isn't about him because he doesn't want to think about what being the wrong kidnapped person will do for him.  
Being kidnapped for who you are is hard enough.   
The drugs were messing with his head too much. He's thinking about kidnapping being a good thing. It's not. Wait, why was he kidnapped again?  
'Bogies on our tail.' Right. That message from Moz. 'Our tail' so it's something they were in together and the only thing that could be, at least at the present moment, is the treasure.   
'They'll be coming after you.'  
Curse Keller and being right. He really wished his evil twin was just trying to psych him out and get him to reveal his hand.  
"Oi! Wake up con!"  
Too bad he wasn't. Neal squeezes his eyes closed tightly before opening them again in an attempt to focus. The blurs are a little more recognizable. There are two men in ski masks standing front of him and that restricted feeling he had before was from the overuse of rope covering his torso. Honestly, did they use a whole reel of the stuff on him?  
"He's mostly here," the one on the left remarks gruffly. He pushes the man on the right's shoulder. "Go ahead and ask him."  
The man does as ordered, "Where is the treasure?"  
'Knew it.' Neal shrugs, "Dunno."  
At least his speech wasn't slurred. It was always annoying when he couldn't annunciate properly. Especially to people who kidnap him.  
He really hated whatever drug they used on him.  
A hit to his face has his head snapping back and the world focusing a little more.  
"Where is the treasure?" Man 2 asks again. "No games, Caffrey. We know you and you little friend have it squirreled away somewhere."  
"Who uses the term squirreled?" Neal quips with a quirk of the lips.   
He gets another, harsher, blow for his wit.  
"We removed your anklet," Man 1 remarks when Neal's head steadies again. "No one knows where you are and if anyone gets worried about you, they'll assume you rabbited."  
"Then the FBI are going to hunt me down," the con grins. "Wouldn't that be a bad thing for you?"  
That time, he gets a blow to the stomach.   
Neal pulls his legs up a little, belatedly realizing they weren't tied down, in an attempt to relieve some of the pain. His feet drop back to the ground with a clap.  
"They'll look for you, sure," Man 1 shrugs. "But they won't find you. No one in law enforcement even knows of this place. It's like our own little hideaway."  
"So we'll have plenty of time for proper confessions," Man 2 grins through his mask. "Or you can prevent further unpleasant actions by answering our questions."  
"If you two are so clever," Neal huffs a disbelieving laugh. "Why can't you find it yourself?"  
Two blows to the face are followed up with a kick to the chest and Neal goes flying backwards with his chair. He manages to pull his head to his chest to prevent an additional blow, but the fall jars his injuries and he groans with the mounting pain.  
"A man can take a lot before he dies," Man 1 remarks as he and his partner stand over the conman. "Do you really want us to get creative with you?"  
"That would be an interesting change of pace," Neal huffs through pained breaths. "Could we try the silent treatment? That would really teach me."  
Whatever they gave him made him very chatty. At least it wasn't a truth serum. Who knows what he'd be spouting then...  
Man 2 kicks him while he's down and Neal shouts out as he feels something snap in his chest. He hadn't broken too many bones in his life time but he still knew that's exactly what had happened.  
"Don't rupture anything," Man 1 comments as his companion pulls their victim upright again. "The dead don't talk."  
"We could just pick up his little friend," Man 2 shrugs. "I doubt he'd hold out too long."  
Neal chuckles, wincing when it hurts but keeping it up anyway.  
"Hit your head when you landed, con?" Man 1 steps closer to check Neal's pupils. "No concussion." He tilts his head. "Why are you laughing?"  
"Just thinking of you two idiots trying to track down my friend," Neal grins at the man's glare. "If you can't find the treasure, there's no chance on this planet you'll find him. Looks like you'll have to settle for me."  
Man 2 kicks him in the chest again, igniting a new spark of horrible pain as he falls again. This time, Neal doesn't duck his head in time and the world blacks out once more.

\---

Peter is washing dinner dishes while Elizabeth picks something for movie night when the doorbell rings.  
"I got it!" El announces going to the door and smiling when she finds Mozzie on the other side. The man instantly pushes his way through without waiting for an invitation. Elizabeth gives him one afterwards anyway, "Come on in."  
"Father Suit," Mozzie goes straight to the kitchen to address the agent. "I am in need of you immediate and discreet assistance."  
"What is it?" Peter notes the look of alarm on the usually guarded man and immediately turns off the sink to grab for a towel to dry his hands.  
"Neal has been taken," Moz explains with a tight lipped frown. "I need your help in reacquiring him."  
"I'll call Reese immediat-"  
"No."  
"What do you mean no?" Elizabeth cuts in after the outburst from her friend. "If Neal's in trouble, you and Peter will need all the help you can get. That includes FBI resources and manpower."  
"An womanpower but that is beyond the point, my dear woman."  
"The people who took Neal threatened you if you went to the authorities?" Peter guesses. When he gets a strange look from the shorter man he guesses again, "Or you and Neal are into something illegal on the side and it will jeopardize his deal with the FBI if they should find out."  
At Mozzie's small shrug, Peter lets out a string of curses.   
"Just when I thought I could trust him to do the right thing," the agent shakes his head as he passes the man and his wife to go upstairs for his spare gun.  
"What are you and Neal messing with now?" Elizabeth asks worriedly.  
"We acquired something much desired by nefarious individuals," Mozzie explains as he refuses to look his friend in the eyes. "We didn't mean to cause any harm, emotional or physical, to either you or Father Suit. We kept it a secret because we were under the assumption that would be the best choice, considering the possible alternative outcomes."  
"Apparently you didn't consider all possible outcomes," Peter comments angrily as he returns. He grabs his wife's coat and purse. "You're going to stay at Diana."  
"What? Why?" El's protests are merely for show as she allows her husband to put her coat on and hand her the purse.  
"I'll feel better knowing there's a competent gun at your side should whoever my moronic son got himself involved in figure come after us next."  
"Our son," Elizabeth puts a hand on Peter's arm. "You'll find him." She smiles. "Then you'll scold him like a child."  
"Darn right I will," he nods, leading everyone out the front door.

Peter drops Elizabeth at Diana's. The female agent at first questions the reason, but one look from her boss and the words, "Please, Dianna," have her nodding her head and willing to help.  
"I'll be back," Peter tells his wife before leaving, kissing her on the cheek quickly.  
"Be careful, hon!" she calls back to him, holding her hands to heart as she watches the two dive off.

 

"So, do you know where he is?" Peter asks once they've pulled away from the curb.  
"Not the slightest clue," Mozzie confesses pulling out a tablet from a bag at his side. "But I did acquire the feeds from the surrounding buildings and am currently tracing the vehicle's identification number."  
"Who's after you and what do they want?"  
"I think it best we focus on retrieving Neal first."  
"Moz," Peter warns the other man with a sideward glance.  
"Eyes on the road please, Father Suit," Mozzie gestures forward. "As I previously stated to the lovely Misses Burke, it was neither mine nor your son's intention to harm either of you. We were merely trying to keep you innocent in our actions."  
"I don't care about what you thought, Mozzie," the agent's grip on his steering wheel tightens. "What I care about is who took my son, why, and whether it will be a bad thing when I open fire wherever they're holding him!"  
"Though I have no exact name, I believe the abductors to be a small group of mildly competent thieves. They've primarily kept to the opposite side of the country but recently came here to, as I found out too late to warn Neal, get their hands on our cleverly gotten gains."  
"Which is?"  
"The treasure."  
"I was afraid you were going to say that."  
"You knew?" Mozzie stares at the agent in shock.   
"I had my suspicions but no evidence or reason to believe it," Peter glares ahead. "I won't make that mistake again in the future."  
"If it has any bearings on your feelings, Neal was heartbroken to keep the secret from you."  
"Let's just hope he doesn't get himself killed over it."

\---

The world comes pounding back to reality and Neal has a hard time pulling in and pushing out enough air. He's right side up again, he can feel it even before he opens his eyes. The room looks empty, at least for now.  
Neal tries minor twists in his bonds but the ropes appear to be expertly tied, even though comically overbearing.  
His entire face aches in time with the agony of his chest as he tries to stand. The chair, metal by the cool feel of it under his palms, doesn't give him much room to maneuver and he's far too tired to get more than three steps before he has to put it down and sit once more. He's sweating with the effort and he just wants to fall backwards but he knows the noise will be a fool's mistake and will most likely hurt, so he forces himself to go down slowly.  
'At least they're kind enough to give me time to breathe.' Neal lets out a heavy sigh. He lifts his ankle. Sure enough, the tracker is gone, so the FBI will be informed of its removal. Which means his dad will be informed and will probably be worried about him, thinking it's some sort of revenge thing.  
When Peter figures out this is all over a secret treasure he's been lying to him about for weeks...Neal groans, "Dad's going to kill me."  
"Gonna be hard, considering your old man is dead."  
Neal jerks his head up at the new voice. Man 3, wearing a ski mask like his counterparts, steps out from behind some crates the conman had ignored before.  
"Is it torture time again already?" Neal makes a show of looking around. "Where are your buddies? Are there a lot of you? Are you going to be taking turns like good little bad guys?"  
"You've got quite the mouth, Caffrey," Man 3 chuckles, putting his hands in his pockets as he walks closer to his victim. "Keller once told me about how much you babbled on and on about this and that. I thought he was exaggerating."  
'I KNEW IT! I knew Keller couldn't be trusted! This is all a charade by him to get the location of the treasure while hiding it from Peter! That scoundrel!'  
"By the look on your face, I don't think you hold many warm and fuzzy feelings for the man."  
"How much is Keller paying you to beat me up?"  
"Paying me?" Man 3 laughs. "I don't need to be paid to do this, Caffrey. No, no, you once stole something I had my eyes set on. Took it right from under my nose and everything. I hate you enough to do this without any charge."  
"So he did hire you." Neal needs to survive this now. So that he can warn his dad about his evil twin and get the murderer out of their lives for good!  
"Why the sudden obsession?" his captor remarks, pulling his hands from his pockets to rest them on his knees as he leans over to look the conman in the eyes. "You get your heart crushed by him or something? He take your girlfriend? That it?"  
"I just hate the guy," Neal grins. "I'm sure you understand that."  
"True," without warning, the newcomer's arm flies up with a fist to clock Neal in the jaw. The conman reels back with the blow and for a moment thinks he can actually see stars. "That was for taking my painting."  
"Got it," with each new blow, more and more of Neal's cockiness is wearing off. He's ready to be rescued and taken home for a proper scolding before going to bed for a week...Maybe two or seventeen...  
"Now," Man 3 pulls out a knife and holds it to his captive's throat. "You want to tell me where you're hiding that treasure now?"  
Neal carefully swallows around the blade, "If I'm dead. You get nothing."  
"I can just cut you a little bit," the man grins. "Just enough to bleed all over that fancy suit of yours."  
"I only know half of the directions."  
"For your sake, I hope it's the second half."  
"No, I mean," Neal swallows carefully again. "I know where in the building the treasure is, but I don't know where the building's location is."  
"Give me a description. I'll Google maps it."  
"I've only ever been on the inside."  
"That's a really terrible lie for a conman of your caliber." Man 3 sighs, pulling the blade away as he straightens. "I'm a little disappointed in you, Caffrey. I expected better."  
"I blame it on the drugs," the conman shrugs.  
"I'm going to go check with the others about their progress finding your little friend," the man puts the blade back into his captive's face. "When I get back. I will be using this on you."  
Man 3 slaps Neal on the face a few times, then leaves the room.  
"Can't wait," the conman growls through clenches teeth, wishing the man had left the weapon so he could use it to escape.

\---

Mozzie curses and Peter worriedly looks over to him. They were at one of the man's various 'safe houses' while Moz ran the vin number and traced the vehicle. Peter had pulled out his phone to send a few texts when they first arrived but had resorted to hurried pacing shortly afterwards.  
Now, as he rushes over to the other man's side, his worry levels have skyrocketed to new heights, "What is it? Did you find him?"  
'Is he dead?' remains unasked, the father too scared of an affirmative answer.  
"I lost it," Mozzie growls at his device. "My machines have failed me! It's an old trick of vanishing cars in tunnels! They go in but no one goes out!"  
"We'll just have to go there and look around ourselves," Peter rushes over to the door but stops when he phones goes off. He answers it, "Matthew?"  
"Matthew? As in, Matthew Keller?"   
The agent waves the other man's questions away as he listens intently to the voice on the other side of the line. "Yeah, I know where that is....No, I don't have the FBI with me....Mozzie? Yeah, he's here."  
"Do not mention me to that man!"  
"He said he lost the van," Peter waves at the man once more. His worried frown breaks into a slightly relieved grin. "Really? Are you sure?....I'll be right there....Wait for me!"  
Peter pockets his phone and resumes his trek to his vehicle.

"What did the Evil Twin have to say?" Mozzie asks as the agent quickly pulls away from the curb to break the speed laws down the street.  
"He found Neal," Peter grins proudly. "He gave me an address. They don't have eyes on him, but they know he's in the building."  
"They?"  
"Matthew and his men."  
"You mean a group of possibly savage killers or bloodthirsty mercenaries?"  
"I don't care if they're escaped prisoners," the agent remarks darkly. "As long as I get my son back home safely."  
Mozzie stares at the man for a few moments in silence then nods in defeat and turns his attention to the road. He remarks quietly, "Don't get pulled over for speeding."

\---

Neal catches himself drifting off as he waits for one of his three tormenters to return. How long had it been? Probably not long. Whenever he couldn't keep track of time, he often assumed more time had passed than it did.   
He wonders how far Mozzie has gone to ground, whether his friend tried to send word to Peter about the reason for his abduction or not.  
A crashing noise catches his attention and he looks over to the only visible doorway anxiously wondering what sort of fight his captors might have gotten into and how it will affect his future treatments.  
Not that his past ones were very pleasant.

The door beeps a few times, then explodes inwards and Neal tucks his legs up to his body on instinct while his eyes shut tightly together for the same reason.  
"Got him," some gruff voice announces, then a set of hurried steps comes towards him.   
Neal open his eyes and blinks a few times in shock when he sees his father.  
"Peter?' he blink a few more times, just in case. "Is that-How did you find me?"  
"I had help," his father remarks, pulling out a blade to cut away the ropes to free his son. When his shoulders move to pulls the ropes away, Neal can see Keller waiting in the doorway, staring at him.  
"Keller," Neal growls at him, trying to push himself to his feet but failing when the world swirls, causing him to fall back to the chair.  
"Woah, there," Peter puts his blade away to offer his son an arm. "You don't look too good, Neal. Take it easy, okay?"  
"What is HE doing here?" Neal points to his evil twin. "This is all his fault! He orchestrated all of this!"  
"And I assume your captors told you that, did they?" Keller remarks with an arrogant smirk. "How does rescuing you help me out in my nefarious plans again?"  
"It keeps you in Peter's good graces," the conman grunts as he's helped to his feet. He uses his free arm to cradle his ribs as his father supports him by holding his other arm across his shoulders and putting a hand to his waist.  
"Easy," Peter warns him as they slowly start to move from the chair. "Keller had nothing to do with this, Neal. You need to stop blaming him for everything whenever he's around."  
"Can't you see though?" his son's frustration increases with every step closer to his evil twin. "Man number three told me he didn't need to be hired by Keller to beat me up."  
"So that means I orchestrated all this?" his brother scoffs. "Please, give me some credit. Why would I have warned you if I was going to be the one to threaten you?"  
"I don't understand your mind games, Keller."  
Peter has Neal outside the room now and his son can see several military type men tying three men. who he assumes are the ones who were holding him captive, to a support beam. Mozzie locks eyes with him and he sees his friend visibly relax.

"Seeing you in relative good health has eased my burdened heart enough to make my exit," Moz tells him when he and Peter reach him. The man looks up to the agent, "I apologize for my part in this issue, Father Suit. I'm sure we will be talking again soon."  
"Bet on it, Moz," Peter nods his head. "But, how are you going to get home from here?"  
"Have faith," Mozzie turns a cool look to Keller before nodding to his friend and walking away out of the building.

 

Outside, Keller speaks up again, "You know, with all the problems you seem to find yourself in the middle of, I'm starting to wonder how you got along without me."  
"Shut up, Keller."  
"That's no way to talk to your brother, Neal," Peter jerks his head to his other son. "He did just save you."  
"For his own reasons, I'm sure," Neal scowls. "And I'm not convinced he didn't have any part in this."  
"Are you just hating me to hate me?"  
"Don't worry, there are other reasons."  
"Okay, boys. We'll table Neal's thank you later."  
"I'm not saying thank you to him, Peter."  
"Which is fine because I didn't expect you to."  
"Let's-" Peter pauses to heave a tired sigh. "Let's just get out of here, okay? The local authority are on their way and I doubt we want to be here when they arrive."  
"Wouldn't want my 'savior' to get arrested," Neal grumbles under his breath.  
Keller and Peter still hear it.  
"Neal," his father warns him. His brother shakes his head.  
"You'll never change, Caffrey," Keller pats Peter on the shoulder that has his brother's hand on it. "Just like I told you he wouldn't, pops."  
"Don't call him that," Neal orders the man darkly.  
"Neal," Peter turns a glare to the injured conman in his arms. "Please. That's enough."  
"No, it's not even close," Neal winces as he holds his ribs. "I can't stand to see you two get all chummy and close! He is a killer! No matter how many times he comes to the rescue, he will still be a criminal!"  
"At least I didn't lie to our father's face," Keller remarks with a scowl. "I am trying to change, Caffrey. Something that is made harder when people like you, my own flesh and blood, are constantly going against me."  
Sirens stop the sibling squabble and Peter ushers the two into his car with a stern, "Stow it. Both of you and I mean it this time."

The military types make their own getaway with a separate vehicle as Peter drives off with his boys.

\---

The doctor checks Neal over while Peter smooths things over with the FBI about the anklet issue, coming up with a Caffrey quality story to sell them. Neal is released to go home after some bandaging and pain killers. Elizabeth meets them back at the house.  
Keller opens the door for the other two men while Mrs. Burke fusses over the best place to put their injured family member. They decide on the couch, with several pillow additions, and everyone finally sits down to breathe.

After a few moments of staring at Neal, Elizabeth gets back up and pulls Keller into a hug. She tells the surprised man, "Thank you."  
Keller keeps his arms outspread throughout the hug and stares at the woman as she takes her seat again. Peter smiles at the two while Neal rolls his eyes, then winces.  
"I-I should..." Keller motions to the door vaguely, but can't quite get to his feet.  
"Nonsense," Elizabeth shakes her head. "there's plenty of room here for you. You'll stay, eat, talk. You can leave in the morning after breakfast."  
"I wouldn't argue with her," Peter warns his son with a happy grin. "She can be pretty fierce when she sets her mind on something."  
"I'm honored, really I am," Keller looks over to Neal as he finally manages to stand. "I just...Don't want to intrude."  
"Enough of this," his father shakes his head then points up at him, "You are staying and that's final."  
Peter points to Neal, "And you will keep your comments to yourself. I don't care what justifications you think you may have. Your brother did a great thing today and I will not have you driving him away."  
Neal's heart sinks from the look from his father. He looks up at his evil twin and sighs. The man doesn't look smug. He still won't forgive the man...But, for his Dad, and because he's too injured to fight it, he quietly says, "Stay, Keller."  
Keller smirks at him, "If you says so, little brother."  
'He just HAS to make things worse.' Neal grimaces, glad that the physical pain was dulling at least.  
"Why don't you and I go to the kitchen to start on dinner?" Elisabeth hooks her arm with Keller's and practically drags him to the kitchen. "What do you know how to make, Matthew?"

As his wife scurries around the kitchen with his son, Peter looks over to his other son and puts a hand on his knee. Neal turns his head and looks at him, curious.  
"I'm really glad you're safe," his father tells him, eyes wet but he keeps the tears at bay. "We still need to talk about your bad habit of lying but," he turns his focus back to the kitchen to smile when he hears pans starting to clang loudly. "For now. I'm happy just being with my family."  
Neal stares at his father face for a long time as the tension slowly releases from his body. 'For now....For at least one night...' He inwardly cringes as he hears Elizabeth laugh at something his evil twin said. 'Well, I can at least TRY....'

\---

**Author's Note:**

> Translation Note:  
> "proklinat' svoyu zhizn' k bystromu kontsu"! {проклинать свою жизнь к быстрому концу !} [curse your life to a speedy end!] *Russian*  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
> I'm a little (very, very) tired, so I know there are probably LOADS of Grammar errors...I'll worry about that later....
> 
> [*I own nothing*]


End file.
